Pet food recalls happen more often than most owners realize, and the consequences of feeding recalled food to a dog can range from gastrointestinal illness to liver failure and death, depending on the contaminant. If you're questioning whether your dog's food has been recalled, check immediately — some contaminations, like aflatoxin, accumulate in the body over time with no initial visible symptoms.
This page explains how to check your specific dog food product, which agencies handle pet food recalls, the most common contamination reasons, and what to do if your dog has been eating recalled food.
Step 1: Find the lot number and best-by date.
These are printed on the back or bottom of the bag or can. Lot numbers are critical for pet food recalls because contamination events often affect only specific production batches — not an entire product line.
Step 2: Find the UPC code.
The UPC barcode on the packaging is another key identifier. Recall notices typically include the affected UPC codes.
Step 3: Search Recall Tracker.
Go to Recall Tracker and enter your brand name and product name. Review any results and compare the lot numbers and best-by dates to the affected ranges specified in the recall notice.
Step 4: Use the barcode scanner.
The barcode scanner at /scan can scan the UPC code directly and check your specific product against the recall database — the fastest method if your phone can read the barcode on the package.
Step 5: Set up brand alerts.
Go to brands, find your dog food manufacturer, and follow them. You'll receive automatic notifications if any future recalls are issued for that brand.
Dog food recalls involve two primary federal agencies:
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has jurisdiction over most commercial pet food sold in the U.S., including dry kibble, wet food, treats, and supplements. The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) investigates pet food safety issues and coordinates voluntary and mandatory recalls. See the FDA agency page for more on how FDA recall authority works.
USDA (Food Safety and Inspection Service) has jurisdiction over pet food products that are derived from meat, poultry, or egg products under the Federal Meat Inspection Act and Poultry Products Inspection Act. Raw pet food containing these ingredients falls under USDA jurisdiction. See the USDA agency page for more.
In practice, the FDA handles the vast majority of dog food recalls. Recall Tracker aggregates both agencies' databases, so a single search covers both.
Salmonella is one of the most frequent contaminants in dog food recalls. Salmonella in pet food is particularly serious because it poses a risk not only to the pet but to the humans handling the food, especially children and immunocompromised individuals who may come into contact with the food or with surfaces the pet has licked.
Salmonella contamination in dry pet food often enters through contaminated ingredients — particularly animal protein meals and raw materials. The bacteria can survive in low-moisture environments for extended periods.
Symptoms in dogs: vomiting, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), lethargy, fever, loss of appetite. Some dogs can carry and shed salmonella without showing symptoms, acting as asymptomatic carriers.
Aflatoxins are toxic compounds produced by certain molds (primarily *Aspergillus flavus* and *Aspergillus parasiticus*) that grow on corn, wheat, and other grains used in pet food. Aflatoxin is one of the most potent naturally occurring carcinogens known and is severely toxic to the liver.
What makes aflatoxin particularly dangerous is that symptoms can be delayed while damage accumulates. A dog may eat contaminated food for weeks before showing signs of illness. By the time symptoms appear — jaundice, lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, unexplained bleeding — significant liver damage may have already occurred.
Several major dog food recalls have involved aflatoxin, including large-scale recalls from brands sold through major retailers. The aflatoxin level in recalled products has sometimes been many times the FDA's action level of 20 parts per billion. For a comprehensive look at pet food contamination history, see the dog food recall guide.
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial contaminant found primarily in raw and refrigerated pet food products. Like salmonella, listeria poses risk to both pets and humans. It is especially dangerous to pregnant women, elderly individuals, and those with compromised immune systems.
Raw pet food — including raw meat, raw bones, and freeze-dried raw products — is more frequently subject to listeria recalls than processed kibble because the high-heat processing used in dry food manufacture kills the bacteria.
Several dog food recalls have involved products with vitamin D levels far exceeding safe limits. Vitamin D toxicity (hypervitaminosis D) causes kidney failure in dogs. These recalls have resulted from formulation errors or from ingredient suppliers providing vitamin D premixes with inaccurate concentrations.
Symptoms of vitamin D toxicity in dogs: vomiting, loss of appetite, excessive drinking and urination, weight loss, and in severe cases, kidney failure.
Recalls have addressed dog food products contaminated with physical foreign materials including metal fragments, bone fragments of inappropriate size, and plastic pieces. These can cause oral lacerations, intestinal blockages, or internal injuries.
Beyond vitamin D, recalls have addressed products with elevated levels of other nutrients — including zinc and iron — that can be toxic at high concentrations, as well as products deficient in nutrients essential to cardiac and neurological health.
Stop feeding it immediately. Set the recalled food aside — do not give it to another pet or to a shelter.
Check your dog for symptoms. Monitor for vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite, or unusual behavior. The timeline varies depending on the contaminant — salmonella symptoms may appear within 12–72 hours, while aflatoxin effects can take weeks to manifest.
Contact your veterinarian. If your dog has been eating the recalled food and is showing any symptoms, contact your vet immediately. Even if your dog appears fine, it may be worth a call if the recall involves aflatoxin, vitamin D toxicity, or other cumulative hazards.
Keep the packaging. Save the bag or can with the lot number, best-by date, and UPC visible. Your vet may need this information, and you'll need it to file for a refund from the manufacturer.
Contact the manufacturer. Most pet food recalls offer a full refund. Contact the manufacturer using the information in the recall notice. Many also have hotlines active during major recalls.
Dispose of the food safely. Don't leave recalled food where other animals, wildlife, or children could access it. Double-bag it and dispose of it in a covered trash container.
Report the incident. If your pet became ill from recalled food, report it to the FDA at fda.gov/safety/medwatch and to CPSC at SaferProducts.gov. These reports help agencies track the scope of contamination events.
Most major pet food brands have had at least one recall. Larger brands have more units in distribution and therefore more potential exposure when a contamination event occurs.
Brands that have had significant recall events include Purina, Hill's Science Diet (which had a major vitamin D recall in 2019), Sportmix (aflatoxin), Sunshine Mills, and many smaller regional brands. The full history is available in the dog food recall guide and searchable on Recall Tracker.
Brand recognition is not a reliable proxy for recall safety — premium brands have had serious contamination recalls, and some budget brands have strong safety records. Checking the recall database for any brand is always worthwhile.
The FDA uses a three-class recall system:
Class I: The most serious category — reasonable probability that use of the product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. Aflatoxin recalls are typically Class I.
Class II: Products that may cause temporary adverse health consequences, or where the probability of serious harm is remote. Many bacterial contamination recalls fall here.
Class III: Products unlikely to cause adverse health consequences, but that nonetheless violate FDA regulations. Labeling violations and minor formulation deviations often fall in this class.
The recall class affects how urgently you should act, but even Class II and III recalls warrant stopping use of the product.
The lot number and best-by date are printed on the back or bottom of the bag or can. The recall notice will specify the exact lot numbers or date ranges that are affected. Compare your packaging against the notice. If your lot number falls within the affected range, your product is recalled. If you're unsure, contact the manufacturer's recall hotline.
Yes, particularly if the recall involves aflatoxin or vitamin D toxicity, where damage accumulates before symptoms appear. It is also worth a call for bacterial contamination recalls, especially if your dog has had any subtle changes in energy level, appetite, or digestion. Catching toxicity early dramatically improves outcomes.
No. The contamination that makes the food unsafe for your dog makes it unsafe for any animal. Do not give recalled food to another pet, donate it to a shelter, or leave it where wildlife can access it.
Keep the original packaging with the lot number, best-by date, and UPC visible. Contact the manufacturer using the information in the recall notice — most have a dedicated recall hotline or website during active recalls. Most pet food recalls offer a full purchase price refund. Some also reimburse veterinary costs for illness caused by the recalled product; ask the manufacturer about this when you contact them.
No. Pet food recalls are typically limited to the specific product names, sizes, and lot numbers identified in the notice. A recall of one variety does not mean all varieties from that brand are affected. Always check the specific product, size, and lot number against the recall notice rather than assuming an entire brand line is affected or safe.
Search all pet food recalls to check your specific brand and product, and browse pet food brands to set up automatic alerts. For a comprehensive history of dog food recalls and what to watch for, see the dog food recall guide. You can also view recall statistics by category to understand trends in pet food safety over time.
Start with the exact brand, recipe, lot code, and best-by date on the bag or can, because recalls often affect only specific production runs. On RecallTracker, you can scan the package barcode at /scan or search the manufacturer at /brands to match your product details against current recall records. If the food is listed, stop feeding it right away and save the packaging for your vet and any refund or claim process.
Most dog food recalls are handled by the FDA, which regulates pet food generally, while USDA FSIS covers meat, poultry, and egg products and says recalled products are removed through voluntary company action. FSIS also requires official establishments to notify the agency within 24 hours if adulterated or misbranded product entered commerce. If you want a broader view of where alerts are coming from, the recall breakdowns on /statistics make the agency split easier to follow.
Salmonella is one of the most common reasons, especially in raw and freeze-dried products, and aflatoxin is another major hazard because it can damage the liver. The FDA’s 2020 Sportmix aflatoxin alert was linked to reports of at least 28 dog deaths and 8 illnesses, which shows how serious these cases can become. You can use /statistics to see which hazards appear most often across pet food recalls.
Stop feeding the product immediately, wash bowls, scoops, and storage containers, and watch for vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, loss of appetite, jaundice, or seizures. Salmonella can also affect people who handle contaminated pet food, so wash your hands and sanitize surfaces after contact. If your dog seems sick, contact a veterinarian promptly and bring the package or a screenshot from /brands so they can verify the recall details fast.
Premium at /pricing is useful if you want faster monitoring instead of checking recall lists manually every week. It’s especially helpful for households that buy the same food on repeat, manage multiple pets, or want brand-level tracking after using /scan once. Basic recall lookup remains available, but Premium is the simpler option if you want ongoing alerts rather than one-off searches.